Carding-machine attachment.



PATENTED MAY. 10, 1904.

J. T. GRIFFITH. GARDING MACHINE ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. 1903.

H0 MODEL.

{/ Inventor,

Attorneys THE Noam ravens co. mom-Luau. WASNINGTDN, 0.!1.

carding.

UNITED STATES Patented May 10, 1904.

JAMES T. GRIFFITH, OF LACHUTE MILLS, CANADA.

CARDlNG-IVIACHINE ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,271, dated May 10, 1904.

Application filed May 25, 1903. Serial No. 158,596. (No model.)

To (1 7,7 whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs THoMAs GRIF FITH, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Lachute Mills, county of Argenteuil, Province of Quebec, Canada, have in- .vented certain new and useful Improvements in Carding-Vlachine Attachments; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the process of wool- In this process it will be remembered that the wool is subjected to a combing or carding action with a succession of cylinders, from which it is finally delivered in ribbons. These ribbons are formed by taking the wool from the finishing card cylinder by means of a plurality of rings, which constitute a doffer or dofl'ers. When these ribbons are formed in this manner, as there is necessarily a certain irregularity in the width and quality of the stock upon the card-cylinder those ribbons which are formed of material taken from the edges or waste ends of the stock as it comes from the cylinder vary in width and quality, as will be readily understood. As the ribbons pass from the doflerrings they pass between rubbers or rollers, which give them a substantially round form, known as roving. This roving then undergoes further processes to form the finished product. It is necessary that the bulk and diameter of the strands of roving should be substantially unvarying, and for this reason the end ribbons which are formed of the material taken from the edges of the stock are of little value. However, where these end ribbons or waste ends, as they are commonly called, are not cared for in some manner they frequently become displaced in such a manner as to have their stock mixed with the next-end ribbon, in this way disturbing the uniformity of the next-end ribbons and seriously afiecting the efficiency of the process.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means for disposing of the waste ends or edges of the stock taken from the cardcylinder, as suggested above.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and definitely set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, which fully illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is substantially a side elevation of carding machinery to which my invention has been applied, certain parts being shown in section, as will appear. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the finishing-card or finisher, this view also being partly a section. Fig. 3 is substantially a vertical section showing a detail of the invention.

Throughout the drawings and specification the same numerals of reference denote like parts.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents a finisher or carding-machine which is adapted to receive its stock from a second breaker 2, which second breaker in turn receives its stock from theflrst breaker 3. Only a portion of the first breaker is shown, as will appear. It should be stated that the general construction of these carding-machines is that usually found in practice. The second breaker 2 comprises a main cylinder or swift 4, which is driven by a belt 5, and this cylinder is supplied with the raw wool or mrtially-carded wool by means of the feed-rollers 6. The usual workers 7 are provided around the periphery of this cylinder, the apparatus including a fancy 8, which prepares the wool to be taken from the cylinder by the dofl'er 9.

The finisher, which comprises the usual swift 10, is fed by a licker-in 11, which receives the stock from a tumbler 12, adjacent to which the feed-rollers 13 are placed. About the periphery of the swift or card 10 are disposed the workers 14 and fancy 15, the rotation of the parts being in the directions indicated by the arrows.

Adjacent to the surface of the card lOthere are provided a pair of doffers 16 and 17, which, as indicated, comprise a plurality of rings 18 and 19, respectively. It should be observed that the rings 18, which are carried by the dofi'er 16, are disposed at intervals along the length of the cylinder, so that spaces 20 intervene between the rings, as shown. The rings 19 of the doffer 17 are disposed in a similar manner along the length of the cylinder, these rings being disposed in staggered relation with respect to the rings of the doffer 16that is, each of the rings 19 is in substantial alinement with one of the spaces 20, lying between two adjacent rings of the doifer 16. It should be understood that as the process progresses the stock or wool 21 on the face of the card 10 is taken off or doifed by the rings 18 and 19, which deliver said stock in ribbons 22, which then pass through or between rubbers or rollers 23, which form the ribbons into roving 24, which is then coiled upon the reels 25.

It should be observed from an inspection of Fig. 2 that the aggregate width of the doifers is less than the length of the cylinder or card 10, from which arrangement all the stock upon the card is not removed. In this manner the waste ends or edges 26 of the stock are allowed to pass the doffers undisturbed. I provide an arrangement for removing and disposing of these waste ends 26, which arrangement will now be described.

A shaft 27 is provided which is disposed longitudinally of the card 10 and parallel with the axes of the aforesaid doffers 16 and 17, the said shaft being suitably mounted in pedestals 28. Upon this shaft there are mounted a pair of rings 29, which are disposed in such a manner as to take off the aforesaid waste ends or edges 26 from the card, operating in the same manner as the rings of the dofl'ers 16 and 17. It should appear that the shaft 27 is mounted in boxes or brasses 30, which brasses are vertically adjustable in openings 31 by means of the set-screws 32, as will be readily understood. From this arrangement it should appear that a nicety of contact or adjustment between the surface of the card and these rings is provided for. It should also be stated that the said rings 29 are longitudinally movable upon the shaft 27, a set-screw 33 affording means for fastening the same in any desired position. This longitudinal adjustment upon the shaft 27 is a desirable feature, for the reason that if the next-end ribbons should from any cause have a tendency to become too light or too heavy by adjusting the rings 29 laterally more or less stock may be left upon the card by these rings, which stock would pass around with the card and be incorporated in the material which was being formed into the next-end ribbons. The shaft 27 may be driven by means of a belt 34.

Just below the rings 29 there are provided substantially vertical pipes 35, which pipes are provided with enlarged months 36, which are disposed quite near the peripheries of the rings at the points shown. These pipes 35 constitute branches of a main suction-pipe 37 ,which pipe leads to a centrifugal fan 38, the said pipe 37 being attached at the axis of the fan, as shown. From this fan a delivery-pipe 39 leads, which terminates in a vertical extension 40, the mouth 41 of which lies near the aforesaid feed-roller 6. It should be understood that during the carding process the fan 38 is driven so as to create a partial vacuum within the pipes 35, so that there is an influx of air at the months 36, and this air has the effect of stripping the wool from the rings 29, which wool is then carried through the pipes and eventually through the vertical extension 40, being finally delivered to the feed-rollers 6. It should be stated that this wool passes through the pipes in a free or natural state. the effect of this rush of air being to disintegrate the same, as will be readily understood. In this manner the waste-end ribbons are returned to the second breaker and are recarded. \Vhile I have described a piping arrangement adapted to return the waste ends to the second breaker, if thought desirable this material could be returned in the same manner to the first breaker instead of the second breaker, the course in this respect being determined by the judgment of the operator and by the quality of wool which is being produced.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawings the preferred form of my invention, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise form shown, for many of the details may be changed in form or posi tion without afiecting the operativeness or utility of my invention, and I therefore reserve the right to make all such modifications as are included within the scope of the following claims or of mechanical equivalents to the structures set forth.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In carding mechanism, in combination, a carding-cylinder, a doifer cooperating therewith and adapted to leave waste ends upon said cylinder, means for removing said waste ends from said cylinder, and a suction-pipe having an inlet mouth located at a point adjacent to said last means and adapted to remove said waste ends therefrom.

2. In carding mechanism, in combination, a carding-cylinder, doffers cooperating therewith and adapted to leave waste ends upon said cylinder, members adapted to remove said waste ends from said cylinder, and suctionpipes having inlet -mouths adjacent to said members and adapted to deliver to said carding mechanism.

3. In carding mechanism, in combination, a carding-cylinder, a doffer cooperating therewith and adapted to leave waste ends upon I 0 Waste ends at a point beyond said doffer, means for adjusting said rings longitudinally with respect to said cylinder, and means for delivering the stock from said rings to a feed of said mechanism.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my 5 hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES T. GRIFFITH. Witnesses:

JOHN R. MILFORD, GAETAN VALOIS. 

